Detachable cover



Patented Mar. 5, 1946 DETACHABLE COVER I Curt Blankenship, Lucasville, Ohio Application June 9, 1944, Serial No. 539,508

(Granted under the act of March. 3, 1883, as

' amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 1 Claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

Thepresent invention pertains to a novel detachable cover for an opening in a receptacle. Although such a device is suitable for various purposes, it is especially applicable to the rib hole of a truck. The hole is formed in a truck body part serving as a pocket to receive a stake or the end of an, arched rib.

When the truck is used for carrying dirt, without stakes or ribs in the pockets, the latter become filled with dirt and must be emptied before they can be used again. The cover, which is the object of this invention, is designed to cover the entrance opening to a pocket. It consists essentially of a cover plate adapted to be fitted in the opening and having a pivotally mounted locking bar. In one position the bar is confined within the edges of the plate so that the plate can be readily applied to the opening. The bar is then adjusted to another position wherein it traverses opposite edges of the plate and locks beneath a flange surrounding and forming the opening.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the following description and in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a structure embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 with a, transverse section of my novel hole cover being shown in locked position;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

In Figure 1 is shown the side wall I of the body of a motor vehicle such as a dump truck. The upper edge of the wall is provided with a box rail 2 which is preferably integral with the side wall as shown in Figure 1. At the lower edge of the wall is a base rail 3, also preferably formed as an integral part of the wall. The rails project from the same surface of the wall, usually the outer surface.

Between the rails, at intervals, are provided vertical channel members 4 forming pockets adapted to receive stakes or bows through slots 5 cut through the upper surface of the rail 2. The channels have outwardly extending flanges 6 for attachment to the side wall I by any suitable means such as welding.

When the truck is used to carry dirt, without stakes or ribs in the pockets, the latter become filled with dirt through the slots 5. Thereafter there is difficulty in inserting the stakes or bows when they are needed.

To prevent the pockets from becoming filled,

I provide the cover shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 for each of the slots 5. It includes a plate It! of sufficient area to cover the slot and having secured to its lower surface another plate II of such size as to fit into the slot. In the center of both plates is mounted a cup l2 having an outward flange l3 at its upper edge for attachment to the plate 10. The cup extends downwardly beyond the lower plate II as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In the bottom .of the cup is rotatably mounted a pin I4 having a screw driver head I5 exposed at the upper surface of the plate A locking bar I6 is passed through the lower end of the pin I4 and is adapted to be received in diametrically opposed notches H in the base of the cup l2. The bar is drawn into the notches by a coil spring I 8 surrounding the pin l4 between its head l5 and the bottom of the cup l2.

The bar [6 is shorter than the length of the plate II and longer than the width of the plate I0. When the bar is received in thenotches I? it lies lengthwise of theplates and thus permits fitting of the plate II in the slot 5. The pin M understood that various alterations may be made I without departure from the spirit of the invention as indicated by the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A hole cover comprising a plate, a projection of-said plate of smaller length and width symmetrical to a surface of the plate adapted to fit into an elongated hole, a cup mounted substantially in the center of said plate and projecting therethrough and extending slightly beyond the plane of the bottom thereof, said cup having an aperture in the bottom thereof, a pin rotatably mounted in said cup and extending through the aperture in the bottom portion thereof and having a transverse aperture in the lower end thereof, said pin having an exposed head below the surface of said plate and within said cup, a spring member surrounding said pin and within said cup and bearing against the head of said pin for urging it outwardly, and a locking bar extending through said aperture in said pin shorter than one dimension of said plate and longer than another dimension thereof, the bottom of said cup having a transverse medial slot for receiving and holdin the locking bar in looking position.

CURT BLANKENSHIP. 

